Archive of the Houses of Worship Category

Billerica, Massachusetts – Broadcast Pix™ today announced that the Rock Church and World Outreach Center, based in San Bernadino, Calif., is using its new Granite™ 5000 integrated live video production system to distribute live video of its religious services for a growing Web-based audience, while simultaneously producing an image magnification (I-MAG) video presentation in its sanctuary.

Rock Church upgraded to Granite in May 2011, replacing a Slate™ system that was installed in 2010. According to Luke Cobrae, Rock Church’s video director and young adult pastor, the 2 M/E capability of the Granite 5000 was a primary reason for the upgrade. Both Broadcast Pix systems were installed by VMI, Inc., a systems integrator with offices in California and Washington. The Slate replaced an aging Video Toaster, which had been used since the church relocated to its current campus in 2003.

Established in 1988 in one of the most impoverished big cities in the United States, the non-denominational Rock Church has more than 20,000 members and regularly draws up to 7,000 each week for services Wednesday night, Friday night, Saturday morning, Sunday morning, and Sunday evening. “Video has always been a want, but budget is always a challenge,” said Cobrae. “Broadcast Pix completely opened the door for video production at the church. Our quality instantly skyrocketed.”

The church conducts 10 weekly services; two are streamed live and three others can be accessed at www.rockchurch.com, while a separate I-MAG presentation is produced for the congregation in the sanctuary and distributed across the 25-acre campus, which includes a school, café, and bookstore. The move to Granite also allows Rock Church to send a native HD signal directly to its two Christie LW600 projectors for I-MAG in the church, which significantly cut delay.

“Broadcast Pix went out of their way to make sure we were satisfied and the switcher suited our needs,” Cobrae added. “There’s a big difference between a studio-in-a-box and a Broadcast Pix system.”

Rock Church typically has a six-camera production for its services, including two center cameras, a dedicated camera for the singers and musicians, and a mounted pan/tilt/zoom camera for reaction shots from the congregation. It uses three Sony widescreen digital SD cameras and a combination of other cameras, including Panasonic AG-DVX100 and Sony PMW-EX1 handheld HD cameras. With its integrated frame synchronizers and multi-definition I/O, Granite seamlessly switches between the various sources.

Rock Church also takes advantage of Granite’s built-in Fluent™ workflow tools, including Fluent-View, which is used in conjunction with an Avitech Rainier multi-viewer. Cobrae has replaced the control room’s black-and-white CRT monitors with LCDs that use Fluent-View to display color images and much more information.

During services, Rock Church uses the integrated Fluent Clip Store extensively to provide sermon illustrations and video announcements – and Fluent Watch-Folders provide an easy way to import announcements or last-minute graphic changes. Plus, Granite’s external keyer is used to display lyrics and other graphics from ProPresenter. Cobrae said the production crew is a combination of volunteers and a small team of full-time and part-time staff.

Eventually, Rock Church plans to replace its analog and digital SD cameras with HD studio cameras. Cobrae also wants to explore video distribution to the other four Rock Church satellite campuses in 2012.

About Broadcast Pix Broadcast Pix is the leader in integrated live video production systems. Its systems provide the best control surface for combining cameras, clips and graphics to create compelling live video. These surfaces enable total control of the built-in multi-format switcher, clip store, graphics system with a Harris or Chyron CG, and device controls. Its Fluent™ workflow enables files and data to be easily incorporated from other parts of the studio. Broadcast Pix systems are a fraction of the cost of a conventional control room to buy, staff and operate. System range from small systems controlled by a touch-screen or voice automation to sophisticated 2 M/E control panels. Customers include leading broadcast, corporate, education, religious, government, webcast, entertainment and mobile studios in more than 90 countries. Learn more at www.broadcastpix.com.

Broadcast Pix, Fluent, Granite, and Slate are trademarks of Broadcast Pix, Inc. Patented.

Specialist display-products distributor singles out Mura video wall controller boards as perfect fits with upcoming product line thanks to their stand-out versatility and high functionality

London, England, December 5, 2011 — Matrox Graphics Inc. announced today a new partnership with PSCo Technical Distribution and the incorporation of Matrox Mura MPX Series video wall controller boards into fully integrated systems built by the leading UK value-added distributor of large-format displays. Multiple Mura boards can be combined in a single system to serve as building blocks of increasingly large-scale setups. The first single-slot, PCI Express x16 Gen2 video wall controller board to feature both inputs and outputs, Mura is multi-functional and designed for use in everything from command and process control centers to conference and classrooms as a presentation solution.

While the two companies have collaborated for many years, this new partnership will extend PSCo Technical Distribution’s product line to include turnkey video wall solutions that will complement their existing line of high-performance displays. Partnering with Matrox is essential to PSCo Technical Distribution’s big-picture growth strategy, which includes becoming a complete video wall-solutions provider.

“Mura helps us offer controllers alongside our high-quality video walls, enabling PSCo Technical Distribution to make available fully functional, top-to-bottom solutions for the first time,” said Paul O’Reilly, Managing Director of PSCo Technical Distribution. “We’re excited by the prospects of this partnership. Mura adds another dimension to our product line and, based on its versatility, unmatched value for our clients.”

Working with a small number of partners including Matrox, PSCo Technical Distribution will be closely overseeing the video wall design and installation processes, as well as offering technical support and customisable software solutions to their customer base, which primarily comprises systems integrators. Amongst these solutions, MuraControl for iPad represents a streamlined, free-to-download, and easy-to-use alternative that is compatible with any Mura-powered video wall.

As a single-slot, input/output, PCI Express x16 controller board, Mura is the ideal solution for video walls of increasing size and complexity, a functionality that is key to PSCo Technical Distribution’s plan to tailor custom solutions to individual customers.

“PSCo Technical Distribution is a company whose reputation precedes itself as a leader within the audiovisual industry and an exclusive distributor of many cutting-edge display solutions,” said Cecilia Wills, Country Manager, Matrox Graphics UK. “Joining forces in this fashion enables Mura to build even more on its unique and impressive value proposition as a multi-purpose video wall controller solution.”

About PSCo Technical Distribution
PSCo Technical Distribution is a trade-only advanced technical distribution and services business, specialising in high-impact, cutting- edge display technologies build systems around them. Our mission is to create visual excitement and engagement, empowering the businesses and organisations we work with, offering them solutions, reducing their carbon footprint. PSCo is a specialist in videowalls and large format displays, with exclusive partnerships with Orion, NanoLumens and Prysm, and preferred supplier status with Panasonic, NEC, Sharp, Samsung and now Matrox.

About Matrox Graphics Inc.
Matrox Graphics is a leading manufacturer of graphics solutions for professional markets. In-house design expertise, top-to-bottom manufacturing, and dedicated customer support make our solutions the premier choice in industries that require stable, high-reliability products. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with representation and offices in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

For more information, visit www.matrox.com/graphics or contact Matrox Graphics directly at graphics@matrox.com.

Mura reinvents video wall management by uniquely combining input/output functionality into one solution; shortlisted for Most InAVative Commercial Control Solution Award

Montreal, Canada, December 1, 2011 — Matrox Graphics announced today that Matrox Mura MPX Series video wall controller boards have been selected as a finalist for the Most InAVative Commercial Control Solution category in the 2012 Technology InAVation Awards. Mura is being recognized for reinventing video wall management by uniquely combining previously separate input and output functionalities into a single-board solution, radically simplifying the installation process for AV integrators and designers building high-performance video wall solutions. The six finalists will be open to a public vote until January 15, 2012, and the winner will be announced February 1st at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE).

Mura MPX Series is among a select group of leading industry AV innovators vying for the Most InAVative Commercial Control Solution Award, and if you’re interested in casting a vote, visit http://www.matrox.com/inAVation_awards_2012.

Mura is the new standard in video wall technology, with its revolutionary four-input/four-output design made to optimally manage peer-to-peer bandwidth in graphics-intensive, high-resolution applications. Based on PCI Express x16 Gen2 technology, Mura ensures Full HD performance for presentation platforms in corporate boardrooms and conference rooms, while multiple Mura boards can also be combined to build high-density, scalable video walls for digital signage, control room, and other mission-critical environments. Mura additionally offers the easy-to-use, free-to-download Matrox MuraControl for iPad app, which replicates a Mura-powered video wall on a given Apple iPad for the easy manipulation of input sources.

About Matrox Graphics Inc.
Matrox Graphics is a leading manufacturer of graphics solutions for professional markets. In-house design expertise, top-to-bottom manufacturing, and dedicated customer support make our solutions the premier choice in industries that require stable, high-reliability products. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with representation and offices in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

For more information, visit www.matrox.com/graphics or contact Matrox Graphics directly at graphics@matrox.com.

Mura, MuraControl and Mura MPX are trademarks of Matrox Graphics Inc.
Apple, App Store and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc.

Pro16 Personal Mixing System Helps Eliminate Stage Volume in Houses of Worship

TUCKER, GA, NOVEMBER 17, 2011—Aviom personal mixers have become the solution of choice for DW Services Group for helping to reduce stage volume and to ensure spoken messaging is clearly heard during church services and events across the country.

“When working with churches, our primary concern is about the message and the word,” says Fred Jacobson, co-owner/operator and VP of sales and marketing, DW Services Group. “Without that being heard or if it’s cluttered by stage volume from the band, those who have come to listen to the pastor or the minister won’t get the full message. Aviom gives us the ability to have the message come across and not be overshadowed by the band, so we like to place A-16II Personal Mixers in every venue that we can because they truly eliminate stage volume.”

A full-service audio, video, lighting and recording company, DW Services Group provides site consultations, gear rentals, equipment maintenance and repair, complete system design and installations both large and small for churches in the U.S. Having worked with such churches as Mountaintop Faith Ministries, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Light of the World and Changing a Generation in Atlanta, Jacobson understands the importance of balancing stage volume for a congregation and utilizes personal mixers from Aviom to help manage individual monitor levels for the musicians.

In a typical worship setup, signals from the instruments and mics in the pulpit are fed into the front-of-house console, such as the Yamaha M7CL digital live-sound console or PM5D digital mixing console. The Aviom AN-16/i Input Module then takes the signals from the console and outputs a digital audio stream. The digital signal is then sent via Cat-5 to an A-16D Pro A-Net® Distributor near the stage, which sends monitor stems via Cat-5 to the personal mixers, which are used with in-ear monitors or powered wedges.

“The Aviom A-16D Pro fits nicely in my equipment racks and once I set it up, it’s done,” says Jacobson. In addition to being simple for the audio mixer, Jacobson notes the system’s ease of use for the musicians. “What makes Aviom a good fit for our musicians compared to other options is the feel of the knob. So, for example, a musician may not watch the dial to see if it’s on seven or eight, so with the Aviom personal mixers, the click tells them exactly where they are. With the 16-channel mixer, they can simply click eight times, whereas other systems require a sweeping turn.”

Other features Jacobson appreciates are the option to group the mixers and the lack of learning curve that comes along with the system. “Aviom gives me a card that I laminate and put on top of the mixers. The musicians study it and it takes them five minutes and they get it. Between the recall and grouping, I can get somebody doing 50-100 songs and recall them without a problem,” he says.

“In all, Aviom is a great investment and very reliable. I haven’t had a mixer or a Cat-5 breakdown,” says Jacobson. “It’s not overpriced and it’s certainly something that every church needs.”

For more information about DW Services Group, please visit http://dwservicesgroup.com.

Aviom pioneered personal mixing with its Pro16® Monitor Mixing System and continues to break new ground with the revolutionary Pro64® Series of audio networking products. With tens of thousands of products in the field today, Aviom has set the standard for high performance, scalable digital solutions. All Aviom systems harness the power of A-Net®, Aviom’s innovative digital audio technology that simplifies system design while enhancing flexibility and fidelity. All Aviom products are designed, tested, and manufactured in the USA. For more information, visit www.Aviom.com.

Old Lyme, Conn. – November 14, 2011 – Audio specialist Sennheiser announced that several of its Sennheiser Sound Academy programs now qualify for InfoComm
Certified Technology Specialist (CTS®) renewal units (RU). Individuals that hold an
InfoComm CTS certification (including CTS, CTS-D and CTS-I) are required to earn RU credits periodically in order to keep their certification current. Sennheiser has partnered with InfoComm’s RU provider program in order to reinforce its standing commitment to the continuing education of CTS professionals in the industry.

Sennheiser RF Sound Academy
Sennheiser’s popular RF Sound Academy seminar now offers six (6) RU credits for individuals that successfully complete the course. RF Sound Academy is a comprehensive, one-day course covering many subjects pertaining to the use of wireless radio frequency microphones. Frequency coordination, antennas and distribution systems, system planning, wireless monitoring and the impact of FCC regulations on users of wireless microphones are among the topics included in this wide-ranging course, which is suitable for beginners to experienced professionals. RF Sound Academy training programs are conducted by Joe Ciaudelli (director of advanced projects and educational services, Sennheiser) and Dave Missall (national market development manager, Sennheiser).

Installed Sound Academy
Sennheiser’s Installed Sound Academy offers 7.5 RU credits for participants that successfully complete the program. Taught by Sennheiser National Market Development Managers Kent Margraves and Eric Reese, the Installed Sound Academy covers sound reinforcement, microphone theory and applications, wireless personal monitor systems, RF wireless systems and troubleshooting logic. The course is suitable for designers, consultants, project managers, worship leaders, system operators and technicians and anyone involved in the selection or purchase of audio products and systems.

Audio for Video and Film
Sennheiser’s Audio for Video and Film Sound Academy seminar, which is also led by Dave Missall, is a valuable resource for those who routinely work with video and would like to enhance their knowledge of how to integrate audio into their workflow. The Audio for Video and Film Sound Academy now offers six (6) InfoComm CTS® RU credits for participants who successfully complete the program. Among the topics covered in the seminar are microphone basics, microphone pickup patterns, boom techniques, shotgun microphones, tips and tricks to eliminate unwanted noises in recordings, and much more. The course also includes a mock scene in which participants practice mic placement and record and playback the results.

For more information on any of Sennheiser’s Sound Academy programs or to register, visit http://www.sennheiserusa.com/soundacademy.

ENFIELD, CT, October 28th, 2011 – Music 2 Hues, a leading supplier of Production Music & Sound Effects to the Film, Video, Animation, & Multimedia Industries has just added a new royalty free title to their Flagship Series line of production music.

The newest Flagship title: “Cinematic Dronescores“ is now shipping worldwide and is available on Audio CD, or can be downloaded in Mp3 and WAV file formats.

“Cinematic Dronescores is the first volume in a planned series of themed titles which will cover all styles of soundscapes”, says Andy Wells, president of Music 2 Hues, and features cinematic suspenseful underscores, pads, and soundscapes.

In addition to audio CD’s, our new updated Music Download Center offers the ability to purchase individual tracks from all of our current Flagship Series titles, or entire CD categories with just one click in either Mp3 or Wav file formats. For just one price, clients will get all the edited versions of any one music track, including the full length theme, and any 30 and 60 seconds versions when available. 

New production music will be added monthly.

Visit our website for more information on these products:  www.music2hues.com

OLD LYME, Conn.–October 20, 2011: Audio specialist Sennheiser announced that it will offer its Installed Sound Academy Seminar in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. The one-day event focuses on key practices, topics and trends in the installed sound/systems integration business.

The eight-hour session will be led by Sennheiser veterans Kent Margraves and Eric Reese. Modeled after Sennheiser’s highly acclaimed RF wireless and studio recording sound Academy seminars, the session will provide attendees with the opportunity to learn or refresh integration skills while earning 7.5 CTS renewal units of credit toward Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) re-certification. The training session will provide classroom and demonstrative instruction on the following topics:

– Sound reinforcement
– Microphone theory and applications
– Wireless personal monitor systems
– RF wireless systems
– Troubleshooting logic

Who should attend?

– Designers and sales engineers who recommend systems to customers
– Consultants involved in designing and writing specifications
– Technicians responsible for correct system installation and implementation
– Worship leaders
– Project managers, production managers, system operators, mixers and technicians
– Anyone involved in the selection and purchase of audio products and systems, or seeking CTScredits for certification renewal

About the instructors
Kent Margraves’ 20-year industry history includes eight years at Sennheiser. His decade-long career as a professional worship audio director included completing thousands of events in sound reinforcement, live broadcast, post production, studio recording, live recording and touring applications. Eric Reese has been immersed in the systems integration industry for over 11 years. Prior to joining Sennheiser’s national market development and education team, he served as an area sales manager for Sennheiser, held project/design engineering positions with two national integrators, and served as a reliability engineer for another manufacturer.

Registration costs $149 and includes, lunch, workshop materials, complimentary giveaways and a $50 coupon toward any Sennheiser product. The session will be hosted at Crossings Community Church at 14600 N. Portland, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Sennheiser Installed Sound Academy registration page.

Minnesota’s Eagle Brook Church prides itself on staying at the leading edge of technology for its ever-evolving production and broadcast needs. In 2010, the thriving house of worship, which opened in late 2005 and accommodates over 2100 in stadium-style seating—retooled its overall technical infrastructure at its main Lino Lakes campus location, adding three DiGiCo SD8 consoles and DiGiRacks for FOH, monitors and video broadcast production. Flash-forward to the spring of 2011, and the audio team is at it again. Working closely with Audio Logic Systems, the latest upgrade set in motion swapped two of the SD8s at FoH and monitor world with one of DiGiCo’s newest 96k/2 gig optics-capable SD10B broadcast console loaded with the DiGiCo Waves SoundGrid plug-in bundle. They also added three SDRacks, one dedicated to the SD10 and the other two distributed within the facility. In more

5.8-GHz User-Friendly Complete RF Video Solution Designed for Houses of Worship, Colleges/Universities and High School Applications

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 12, 2011 – Integrated Microwave Technologies, LLC (IMT), a Business Unit within the Vitec Group’s Videocom Division, and a leader in advanced digital microwave systems serving the Broadcast, Sports & Entertainment and MAG (Military, Aerospace & Government) markets, will be highlighting the range of applications for its RF Central 5.8-GHz license-free microLite HD Elite system at the 2011 CCW Show (Booth 931). more

New York – October 4, 2011 – With a heavy international touring schedule and a new album gaining praise from fans and music critics all around the world, singer/songwriter Jon Regen is very discriminating on the tools of his trade – on the stage and in the studio. Whether performing in a classical European concert hall or recording vocals at a top international studio facility, Regen depends on Neumann microphones to make sure his performances as good as they can possibly be.

Regen began his career as a jazz pianist before recently extending his repertoire to include vocals. In 2004, he released Almost Home — his first singer/songwriter album. But the more he sang live, the more he noticed a ‘lack of shine’ when using typical microphones. When he noticed top artists using Neumann condenser mics on stage, he more